# US 2010/0168969 A1 · Control apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0168969 A1 - Document ID: US20100168969A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/654,502 - Filed: 2009-12-22 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2008-12-26 - Assignees: Aisin Aw Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Nobuaki Inagaki; Hiroya Ueno; Kohei Tsuda; Eiji Moriyama; Hiroshi Tsutsui - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100168969A1 ## CPC - B60W 20/30: Control strategies involving selection of transmission gear ratio {(control of change speed gearings, together with other vehicle sub-units B60W10/10; HEV transmission gearing B60K6/36; gearings and control thereof F16H)} - B60K 6/365: with the gears having orbital motion - B60K 6/48: Parallel type - B60K 6/547: the transmission being a stepped gearing - B60W 10/02: including control of driveline clutches - B60W 10/026: {of lock-up clutches} - B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines - B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators - B60W 10/10: including control of change-speed gearings - B60W 10/115: with planetary gears - B60W 20/00: Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles {(hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L)} - F16H 61/143: {using electric control means} - B60L 2240/486: Operating parameters - B60W 2510/1015: Input shaft speed, e.g. turbine speed - B60W 2510/244: Charge state - B60W 2520/10: Longitudinal speed - B60W 2540/10: Accelerator pedal position - F16H 59/18: dependent on the position of the accelerator pedal - F16H 2059/467: {of torque converter} - Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - F16H: GEARING - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A control apparatus includes a differential speed acquisition unit that acquires a differential speed representing a difference in speed between an input side drivingly connected to the input member of the fluid coupling and an output side drivingly connected to the transmission; a state determination unit that determines a shift speed in the transmission and an operating state of the direct connection clutch based on an accelerator opening and a vehicle speed of a vehicle; and a direct connection control unit that engages, if the differential speed is equal to or less than a predetermined engagement permitting threshold value when the state determination unit determines an upshift of the shift speed and a transition from a disengaged state to an engaged state of the direct connection clutch in a condition in which the accelerator opening is decreasing, the direct connection clutch regardless of an upshift operation of the shift speed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control apparatus that controls a vehicle drive system that has a fluid coupling including a direct connection clutch, and a transmission and outputs rotation of an input member that is drivingly connected to an engine and a rotating electric machine to an output member, the control apparatus comprising: a differential speed acquisition unit that acquires a differential speed representing a difference in speed between an input side drivingly connected to the input member of the fluid coupling and an output side drivingly connected to the transmission; a state determination unit that determines a shift speed in the transmission and an operating state of the direct connection clutch based on an accelerator opening and a vehicle speed of a vehicle; and a direct connection control unit that engages, if the differential speed is equal to or less than a predetermined engagement permitting threshold value when the state determination unit determines an upshift of the shift speed and a transition from a disengaged state to an engaged state of the direct connection clutch in a condition in which the accelerator opening is decreasing, the direct connection clutch regardless of an upshift operation of the shift speed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the direct connection control unit engages the direct connection clutch after the upshift operation of the shift speed is completed, if the state determination unit determines the upshift of the shift speed and the transition from the disengaged state to the engaged state of the direct connection clutch in a condition in which the accelerator opening is constant or increasing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the direct connection control unit causes a preliminary operation in which the direct connection clutch is set into an engageable state and an engagement operation in which the direct connection clutch is engaged after the preliminary operation to be performed. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein: the direct connection control unit causes, if the differential speed is equal to or less than a predetermined engagement permitting threshold value when the state determination unit determines the upshift of the shift speed and the transition from the disengaged state to the engaged state of the direct connection clutch in a condition in which the accelerator opening is decreasing, the preliminary operation to be performed substantially at the same time that the state determination unit determines the transition from the disengaged state to the engaged state of the direct connection clutch. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the engagement permitting threshold value is set to a value of the differential speed that results in an impact when the direct connection clutch is engaged that is smaller than an impact on the vehicle generated by decreasing the accelerator opening. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the direct connection control unit outputs a direct connection control command signal for engaging the direct connection clutch; and the direct connection control command signal is a predetermined reference waveform defined by one or two or more variables, the reference waveform having a preliminary filling phase for filling an engagement side oil chamber of the direct connection clutch with a hydraulic fluid and a pressure boost engagement phase for engaging the direct connection clutch by boosting a hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic fluid. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: the direct connection control unit makes a pressure boost rate of change of the pressure boost engagement phase in the direct connection control command signal when the direct connection clutch is to be engaged in a condition in which the upshift operation of the shift speed is yet to be completed greater than a pressure boost rate of change in the condition in which the accelerator opening is constant or increasing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the transmission includes a plurality of friction engagement elements for achieving each shift speed, the plurality of friction engagement elements being controlled to be engaged and disengaged according to an engagement side control command signal and a disengagement side control command signal, respectively; and the engagement side control command signal is a predetermined reference waveform defined by one or two or more variables, the reference waveform having a preliminary filling phase for filling an oil chamber on an engagement side of the friction engagement element with a hydraulic fluid and a pressure boost engagement phase for engaging the friction engagement element by boosting a hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic fluid; the control apparatus further comprising: a learning control unit correcting, based on setting values of the one, or two or more variables and an actual vehicle behavior when the shift speed is changed according to the setting values, the setting value of each of the variables of the subsequent engagement side control command signal when the state determination unit determines a change of the shift speed and the shift speed is changed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The control apparatus according to claim 8, wherein: the learning control unit retains the setting value of each of the variables of the engagement side control command signal as they are, if the upshift operation of the shift speed and engagement of the direct connection clutch are performed in a condition in which the accelerator opening is decreasing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The control apparatus according to claim 8, wherein: the variable includes at least one or more of a filling pressure and a filling time in the preliminary filling phase of the engagement side control command signal and a target engagement pressure in the pressure boost engagement phase. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: the direct connection control unit causes a preliminary operation in which the direct connection clutch is set into an engageable state and an engagement operation in which the direct connection clutch is engaged after the preliminary operation to be performed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The control apparatus according to claim 11, wherein: the direct connection control unit causes, if the differential speed is equal to or less than a predetermined engagement permitting threshold value when the state determination unit determines the upshift of the shift speed and the transition from the disengaged state to the engaged state of the direct connection clutch in a condition in which the accelerator opening is decreasing, the preliminary operation to be performed substantially at the same time that the state determination unit determines the transition from the disengaged state to the engaged state of the direct connection clutch. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The control apparatus according to claim 12, wherein: the engagement permitting threshold value is set to a value of the differential speed that results in an impact when the direct connection clutch is engaged that is smaller than an impact on the vehicle generated by decreasing the accelerator opening. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The control apparatus according to claim 13, wherein: the direct connection control unit outputs a direct connection control command signal for engaging the direct connection clutch; and the direct connection control command signal is a predetermined reference waveform defined by one or two or more variables, the reference waveform having a preliminary filling phase for filling an engagement side oil chamber of the direct connection clutch with a hydraulic fluid and a pressure boost engagement phase for engaging the direct connection clutch by boosting a hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic fluid. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The control apparatus according to claim 14, wherein: the direct connection control unit makes a pressure boost rate of change of the pressure boost engagement phase in the direct connection control command signal when the direct connection clutch is to be engaged in a condition in which the upshift operation of the shift speed is yet to be completed greater than a pressure boost rate of change in the condition in which the accelerator opening is constant or increasing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The control apparatus according to claim 15, wherein: the transmission includes a plurality of friction engagement elements for achieving each shift speed, the plurality of friction engagement elements being controlled to be engaged and disengaged according to an engagement side control command signal and a disengagement side control command signal, respectively; and the engagement side control command signal is a predetermined reference waveform defined by one or two or more variables, the reference waveform having a preliminary filling phase for filling an oil chamber on an engagement side of the friction engagement element with a hydraulic fluid and a pressure boost engagement phase for engaging the friction engagement element by boosting a hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic fluid; the control apparatus further comprising: a learning control unit correcting, based on setting values of the one, or two or more variables and an actual vehicle behavior when the shift speed is changed according to the setting values, the setting value of each of the variables of the subsequent engagement side control command signal when the state determination unit determines a change of the shift speed and the shift speed is changed. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The control apparatus according to claim 16, wherein: the learning control unit retains the setting value of each of the variables of the engagement side control command signal as they are, if the upshift operation of the shift speed and engagement of the direct connection clutch are performed in a condition in which the accelerator opening is decreasing. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The control apparatus according to claim 17, wherein: the variable includes at least one or more of a filling pressure and a filling time in the preliminary filling phase of the engagement side control command signal and a target engagement pressure in the pressure boost engagement phase. ### Claim 19 (depends on 2) The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: the engagement permitting threshold value is set to a value of the differential speed that results in an impact when the direct connection clutch is engaged that is smaller than an impact on the vehicle generated by decreasing the accelerator opening. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The control apparatus according to claim 11, wherein: the engagement permitting threshold value is set to a value of the differential speed that results in an impact when the direct connection clutch is engaged that is smaller than an impact on the vehicle generated by decreasing the accelerator opening.